You guys ain't no damn coaches

[Sean Cagney]

I hate the snowman too... nothing I can do about it. I like him when he's shooting threes, miss or not.

Lately and most of the time late in the year he is miss, so why is he out there when he is missing and does nothing else? If he misses a few yank him! But POOP DOES NOT!

[Strike]

Manu, TP, Duncan, Bowen won those les before Pop. let's get that straight. Pop was instrumental in making defense a priority, but those days are long gone now and now he's just a detriment to the team at this point with his no defense bull .

This. Multiple series wins against Phoenix proving a good defense beats a good offense and now, defense has been put on the back burner? WTF?

[mingus]

Oh, I would say the airballs from the FT line late in the game are all good signs. Pop loves to intentionally foul ty FT shooters late in games. Surely someone would do that to us with Splitter. The dude cannot hit the ing rim, and he's no Shaq in the paint. I like him, but he's not all that yet.
Sure, as long as they improvise plays for him.

Pop doesn't play people because it doesn't hurt, he plays them because he thinks it helps. Tiago doesn't guard up top very well, and he's a foul magnet.

he's got flaws in his game, and ft shooting appears to be one of them. however, he was a 70% shooter in Europe, so i'm not sure it isn't due to the fact that he's got such a small sample size of fts. he hasn't been able to establish a rhythm due to not playing. plenty of guys are better ft shooter than their ft % indicates but they don't take enough. and plus, it's not like Blair's ft% is anything to brag about either, especially of late.

and if it gets to the point where the other team needs to foul Splitter to give themselves a chance to win, the Spurs are doing something right and in good position. it's pretty much the last stategy a team can employ to try and win, and it hardly ever works. for every game it does work there's like 9 games where it doesn't, or at least it seems that way. it's worked like one time for SA and the rest it has mostly backfired. it's a stupid, desperate strategy. not only are you getting players in foul trouble early but your putting the other team in the penalty. it's a risk that both teams are willing to take, and more so the team that is doing the fouling.

[DMC]

You only do it when you are in the penalty already.

[guzmangm]

Could of been six les but 0.4 and the Ginobili foul wasn't his fault. You can argue going small ball hurt us in '06 but the game/series was still ours until the foul, despite Dallas getting all the calls.

[howbouthemspurs]

I for one think Pop is doing a great job! He can coach a bunch of downy midgets to play hockey with banjos as sticks and a baby seal as a puck and get them to win the Stanley cup of midget hockey with banjos and baby seals. ....Thats how good he is! And I trust him!

[Rummpd]

Actually I am a coach, but sadly it is only for a grade school team that did pretty good this year. Even then I would not leave one of my 8 best players, who is also the 1st or 2nd tallest, on the bench all season long. Bonner on my team would be Mr. VC (victory cigar) and Blair would have been traded probably by now (for better or worse), as he is what he is, and has actually regressed as a rebounder - his best talent.

I like Pop but this has not been his finest season or month as a coach IMO.

[Warlord23]

Good thread, will definitely visit again.

Improvement suggestions: thread needs some more gray name posts with references to 4 rings, SPAM, CIA, Coach of the Year etc

[rmt]

I'm no coach, but even I can see that the defense goes to pot when Blair/Bonner play together. That's when they fell into that 9-11 point hole against ATL.

The point I that Pop has a young, mobile 7 fter on the bench who could possibly improve the interior/pick and roll defense and he has neglected to integrate him. That's what's inexcusable. It would not have hurt to rest Dice a little more during the regular season and have another option available in the playoffs. Heaven help us if TD or any big gets in foul trouble. Even if there is an injury to Blair or Bonner, Spurs will be in a world of trouble because Splitter hasn't had the PT necessary to integrate.

I don't see any drop off of offense when Splitter plays and there is the potential of a much better defense. We already know what Bonner/Blair bring to the defense - not much.

[biggerspursfanthanu]

Smartest thread in a while to be honest. We got some spoiled ass fans.

"OMG WHO CAREZ ABOUT TEH 4 RINGZZ!!11"

Spurs got 4 more rings than a bunch of teams, that's great be proud of each and every one of them. But that's a pretty outlook to be so content with past glory, that everyhing that happens after doesn't mean anything. if that's good enough for everyone, they should have closed up shop and retired the team after the last chip. It's a good thing Timmy and the guys aren't defeatest pussies who are happy to just play out their careers not giving a anymore. This is a business and its the player's and coaches job to do everything they can to win every single year. If being a spoiled fan means caring that the organization is doing everything in their power to win and stay relevant, then sure we're spoiled. With all that said, I do believe the team for the most part giving everything they got. I do hate pop though. He's a good coach but he's also an obnoxious negative prick. Oh and as far as red and pasty is concerned I would have no problem if he didn't have the contract he does.

[Chomag]

Smartest thread in a while to be honest. We got some spoiled ass fans.

"OMG WHO CAREZ ABOUT TEH 4 RINGZZ!!11"

Well as a fan I do care that Timmy gets at least one more ring before he hangs it all up, as well as future championship success for the Spurs organization. If you think thats being a spoiled fan then so be it. I'm a spoiled fan sir!

[GrandeDavid]

How do you know I'm not a coach?

I could easily be Tom Thibodeau and you wouldn't know better...

I'm Hubie Brown, I confess. Don't believe me? As former coach of the Kentucky Colonels, I sold my house in Louisville on Hubbard Court to a Mr. J.D. Robbins.

Anyway, you gotta love Manu Ginobili the way he penetrates and kicks the ball out for Matt Bonner to pop the three pointer. Tim Duncan is a true scholar of the game of basketball and his footwork is still among the best in the game. Pick and pop with Tony Parker coming off the screen is something Gregg Popovich likes to mix in his bag of tricks sometimes.

Now do you believe me? I am Hubie Brown and I like vacationing in Brazil, which is why I chose the GrandeDavid username.

[admiralsnackbar]

I'm Hubie Brown, I confess. Don't believe me? As former coach of the Kentucky Colonels, I sold my house in Louisville on Hubbard Court to a Mr. J.D. Robbins.

Anyway, you gotta love Manu Ginobili the way he penetrates and kicks the basketball out for Matt Bonner to pop the basketball. Tim Duncan is a true scholar of the game of the basketball and his footwork is still among the best in the game of the basketball. Pick and pop the basketball with Tony Parker coming off the screen is something Gregg Popovich likes to mix in his bag of tricks sometimes.

Now do you believe me? I am Hubie Brown and I like vacationing in Brazil, which is why I chose the GrandeDavid username.

Now you're Hubie Brown.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

Actually I am a coach and have been so for years and while most of posters on here seem to be complaining I think Pop is doing a great job. He has is playing what he believes gives him the best chance to win games. So far this formula has been successful as the Spurs are on pace to have the best record in the NBA and I believe a chance to have the best record in Spurs history. Last year the Spurs were the 7th seed and barely cracked the 50 win plateau.
I think people need to remember that Pop has changed his whole offensive philosophy this year to become more guard oriented and now has Duncan more as a facilitator. That is not easy to do in a span of one season. This new philosophy also has the Spurs getting many more easy shots with their fast break style something that rarely happened in previous years past.
Also, He saw last year that inside-outside basketball formula no longer worked for this team and the personnel they had. Sure Splitter provides a possible inside guy on the offensive side but do you think Pop really wants to run his offense through a rookie. On the defensive side Splitter can be more of a presence in the inside to block shots and rebounds but as a coach I taught my kids that protecting the paint was much more important that protecing the rim. That Boston game the Spurs lost because the Celtics were making most of their shots from the perimeter. Garnett and Davis were making jumpshot after jumpshot and in reality isnt that what you want a team to do. Having their bigs shoot 15-18 jumpers is a good defensive philosophy. Unfortunately, it didnt work in that game.
To sum it up...Why change the status quo if the status quo is working? We can argue that doing this or doing that may give us a better chance of winning games and a possible championship but what he is doing now is working. Does it guarantee a championship? Who knows? But does adding Splitter to the rotation guarantee more of a chance to win? We dont know. Right now you go with what you do know and it now it seems to be working.

[jjktkk]

That's a complete copout. A coach's greatest imprint on his team is on the defense. If the Spurs are playing ty defense, it's Popovich's fault.

The Bulls are playing awesome defense and starting ing Derrick Rose, Boozer, and Keith Bogans.

These excuses are getting pathetic. The guy's got two seven footers on his roster and two to three great perimeter defenders. The roster is more than capable of playing outstanding defense.

Lol, 2 to 3 "great" perimeter defenders? Who might they be? Your ranting and raving is pathetic, but comical and entertaining.

[spursince#99]

He won 4 les with different players and younger players so don't bring the 4 les discussion

Lol exactly...

[spursince#99]

Actually I am a coach and have been so for years and while most of posters on here seem to be complaining I think Pop is doing a great job. He has is playing what he believes gives him the best chance to win games. So far this formula has been successful as the Spurs are on pace to have the best record in the NBA and I believe a chance to have the best record in Spurs history. Last year the Spurs were the 7th seed and barely cracked the 50 win plateau.
I think people need to remember that Pop has changed his whole offensive philosophy this year to become more guard oriented and now has Duncan more as a facilitator. That is not easy to do in a span of one season. This new philosophy also has the Spurs getting many more easy shots with their fast break style something that rarely happened in previous years past.
Also, He saw last year that inside-outside basketball formula no longer worked for this team and the personnel they had. Sure Splitter provides a possible inside guy on the offensive side but do you think Pop really wants to run his offense through a rookie. On the defensive side Splitter can be more of a presence in the inside to block shots and rebounds but as a coach I taught my kids that protecting the paint was much more important that protecing the rim. That Boston game the Spurs lost because the Celtics were making most of their shots from the perimeter. Garnett and Davis were making jumpshot after jumpshot and in reality isnt that what you want a team to do. Having their bigs shoot 15-18 jumpers is a good defensive philosophy. Unfortunately, it didnt work in that game.
To sum it up...Why change the status quo if the status quo is working? We can argue that doing this or doing that may give us a better chance of winning games and a possible championship but what he is doing now is working. Does it guarantee a championship? Who knows? But does adding Splitter to the rotation guarantee more of a chance to win? We dont know. Right now you go with what you do know and it now it seems to be working.

Awwwh SHUT UP dude...sure we want the opposing team to take 15-18 foot jumpers as the Celtics did but if you really watched and paid attention to the game you would have noticed that each and every last one of those mid-range jumpers were WIDE open and protecting the rim is apart of protecting the paint so know what you're talking about because little league coaching doesn't compare to professional coaching and i actually play semi-pro ball so i of all posters on here should know...smh...

[DMC]

Awwwh SHUT UP dude...sure we want the opposing team to take 15-18 foot jumpers as the Celtics did but if you really watched and paid attention to the game you would have noticed that each and every last one of those mid-range jumpers were WIDE open and protecting the rim is apart of protecting the paint so know what you're talking about because little league coaching doesn't compare to professional coaching and i actually play semi-pro ball so i of all posters on here should know...smh...

You win the award for the longest sentence in the history of man. Congrats.

[spursince#99]

You win the award for the longest sentence in the history of man. Congrats.

much appreciated perhaps...

[ManuBalboa]

Last I checked Pop hasn't won in the last many seasons. Last time I checked he has made the same stupid ass coaching decisions in said last many seasons.

Pop can be an ass, but the fans can't. Got it OP.

[easy7]

You guys ain't no damn coaches.

Ok,ok, we confess we are not coaches. Can you tell us what gave it away so we won't make the same mistake next time? Just saying...

[dbestpro]

I don't see the argument of Bonner over Splitter, but rather Blair over Splitter and Bonner over Novak. Novak has a quicker release and moves his feet better than Bonner.

[DMC]

Ok,ok, we confess we are not coaches. Can you tell us what gave it away so we won't make the same mistake next time? Just saying...

I'll bet it was the clear complexions and the outstanding strategic planning we possess.

[pjjrfan]

I've coached Little Dribblers. Pop's crazy.